Standardized tests have been a part of American education since the mid-1800s. Their use became mandated after 2001’s No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which mandated annual testing in all 50 states for student’s grades three through eight. This act aimed to hold all public schools to a high standard of education, measured by their student’s scores in statewide-standardized tests. High-stakes achievement tests have provoked the most controversy. These assessments carry important consequences for students, teachers and schools. Low-test scores can prevent a student from progressing to the next grade level or lead to teacher firing and school closures. High-stake tests are unreliable measure of student’s performance; they are discriminatory against non-English speakers and students with intellectual disabilities, and cause severe stress in younger students. High-stake tests should not be used in the United States to measure student’s performance; instead performance-based assessments are more effective and have positive outcomes.
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, test scores impact how much funding a school gets from the
…show more content…
Rather than a full picture of how a child learns, including creativity, collaboration skills, drive, social skills, etc. According to late education researcher Gerald W. Bracey, PhD, qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include "creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, sense of beauty, sense of wonder, honesty, integrity." Standardized test do not measure these qualities, which carry equal or greater weight in determining a person’s success. Standardized tests results are one measure among